Still Life

I woke up on Saturday morning and tried to tell myself to slow down. All too often my head is filled with a constant urge to check my phone, get on the computer or make a giant to-do list that can never be accomplished in one day. It leaves me feeling like I’ve wasted my whole day, when only three of fourteen items on any given list are done. Adding things like “make that pattern” or “cut out those pieces” makes a creative process feel like a job, instead of something fun. I did my best to get out of my head and to push aside the worry of deadlines, and to just appreciate where I was.

On Saturday morning, Rob and I headed to the local farmer’s market. Usually I’ll think about the list and what’s on it, and what has to be done when we get back. Instead, this weekend, I tried to it soak it up a bit more, and I think that I appreciated the sounds and colors more than I had before. When we were done buying what we needed, I walked down to a vintage shop a block away and purchased a walnut bowl. Once I got home, I created a little still life.

It was funny to set this up and I felt a bit awkward. I’m no photo stylist. But that bowl, and those fruits and vegetables, made me feel creative. Maybe it had to do with getting out of my “must do” mind-set, but I found these incredible peaches, with their soft fuzz and sharp sweet scent to be extra beautiful that day. And that eggplant? I haven’t been able to cut it up yet because I want to keep staring at it.